LPN Student worried about LPN job market

There is still an excellent job market for LPN's in Worcester County. Like mot places, no hospital jobs usually available. LTC and sub-acute are still hiring. Yes, you do have to apply inperson usually. They don't want to waste their time either! Also many places have you subit credentials (license & CPR card) with application. I would say, if you're aren't TOO picky, 3 months tops to find a good job. Private doc offices, community health centers and Fallon hire LPN's fairly regularly. Starting pay lower in offices, sometimes $18-20 an hour. Other pay scales vary. For new grad, I would guess at least $22 an hour, probably closer to $25. Worcester County is a great place to be an LPN, the demand is high and there are a variety of opportunities. MA has a liberal scope of practice and there will be many learning opportunities for you as you move through your career. I have worked a good part of the last 25 years in the area. When I moved to the area was when hospitals first went "RN only" and the market was flooded with displaced LPN's, the economy was bad and jobs hard to find. I interviewed well and landed a job within 2 weeks at an excellent facility. You will do fine, as long as you get through school! Good Luck!

Thank you for responding....will do more research and find out where exactly the $22+/hr jobs are. Most places don't out right put the salary on the postings. If anyone knows of a place where they do start at this range for new grads and primarily a LTAC hospital/Facillity, please respond. In addition, I believe that agencies don't hire anyone without a year experience. Also, I was interested in baylor shifts if they are still existent and would even commute to Conneticut or New Hampshire if the money is right. Don't get me wrong I am really passionate about being a nurse but I also need to survive. I am a single mother that has been breaking her back for years and would finally like to end this massacre!!! If anyone has any suggestions or leads, please reply or pm me! TIA

You should worry first about completing school which you say you haven't even started! What difference does it make who is hiring now? Agencies generally do not hire new grads. The agency market for LPN's is pretty bad right now anyways. Except for doctor's offices, the pay scales usually start somewhere around $22-25 like I said. That would be anywhere in Worcester County, CT or RI. Hospitals also generally do not hire LPN's at all anymore. I do not understand what "leads" you're looking for when you are not even a nursing student yet.

To the OP: Not many LTC's have HR as such. You fill out the application and usually interview with the DON. Most nursing students do NOT already work as CNA/PCT's in a place they intend to work as nurses. Nursing school is hard work and as many people as possible try to not work during school. For those who must work, shift work doesn't go very well with school schedules.
There are a lot of facilities in Central Mass that have been relying heavily on agency nurses for years and are now delighted to be able to hire staff nurses. That' why the agency oultook is poor right now. Also Central Mass historically has more opening for LPN's than Boston or Springfield areas.
Concentrate on your studies and rest assured, you will find a job in a reasonable amount of time after graduation. As teh economy improves it will be better. Hopefully that will start to happen before you graduate!